The invention relates to a shoulder support for a musical instrument, comprising a holding device, by means of which the shoulder support is fixable or fixed to the musical instrument, at least one arm, which is fixable or fixed to the holding device, and a shoulder abutment element, which is fixable or fixed to the at least one arm and has a pad and a pad holder.
A shoulder support is, for example, used on a violin or viola in order to support the musical instrument on the musician's shoulder.
A shoulder support for a violin is known from DE 691 02 908 T2 (EP 0 445 632 B1), comprising a support piece, which is intended to be supported on the shoulder of the violinist. The support piece is fastened rigidly to an arm, but adjustably with respect to the inclination and angle relative to the arm and with respect to the position along this arm. The arm is rigidly fastened to the base of a chin support, the base being located under the violin. A single head screw connects the support piece to the arm in the adjusted position both along the arm and with respect to the oblique position transverse to the arm. The head screw passes through a first clamping piece, the support piece, a second clamping piece and the arm in order to engage in a third clamping piece under compression between the arm, the support piece and the first and the second clamping piece. The first and second clamping piece have surfaces, which are complementary to one another and at least approximately spherical cap-shaped.
A shoulder support for a violin or the like is known from WO 2006/117564 A1, which has a fastening plate, a shoulder pad and a support arm to connect the mounting plate and the shoulder pad. The mounting plate can be fixed to the sound box of a musical instrument and the mounting plate and/or the shoulder pad have a fitting to receive one end of the holding arm by means of an insertion connection, which is secured by spring-loaded detents. The end of the holding arm and the fitting have means to prevent a rotation of the holding arm relative to the fitting after an engagement.
Chin holders for a musical instrument are known from DE 83 00 295 U1 and EP 1 067 508 A2.
A shoulder support for violins consisting of a pad is known from DE 213 995, the support being releasably connected, with the interposition of a ball-and-socket joint, to the chin support, so as to be fixable in every position.
A removable shoulder support for violins is known from CH 277 350, in which the part of the support coming to rest on the deltoid and pectoral muscles of the violinist in the use position is provided with incisions, which allow its deformation in accordance with the body shape of the violinist, and the connection of the support to the violin is configured in such a way that the latter can be adjusted in relation to said support both with respect to the height and also in the direction towards the body and away from the body as well as inclined to all sides.
A shoulder support for a violin is known from EP 0 287 520 A1.
Shoulder supports are, for example, known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,746,336, 1,416,644, 1,971,552, WO 2006/096867 A2, EP 0 287 520 A1, WO 80/02617 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 2,208,824, EP 0 567 050 A1, CZ 12490 U1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,212,222, 2,483,052, 744,673, DE 23 56 218 A1, US 2009/0007751 A1, AU 314 335, CH 296363, CH 529 409, DE 30 21 047 C2, DE 36 43 225 A1, DE 100 07 834 A1, DE 201 16 245 U1, DE 199 09 972 B4, DE 213995, DE 293368, DE 503666, DE 555647, DE 556209, DE 1 204 055, DE 1669269, DE 1 692 936, DE 1 826 033, DE 2 009 097, DE 20 09 097, DE 25 11 466 A1, DE 26 04 897 A1, DE 28 48 610 C2, DE 40 91 689 C1, DE 75 08 303 U1, DE 93 03 031 U1, DE 195 00 066 A1, DE 295 00 054 U1, DE 603 14 296 T2, DE 693 19 487 T2, DE 10 2007 038 004 A1, DE 20 2007 003 473 U1, EP 0 180 069 A2, EP 0 445 632 A1, US 2005/0126353 A1, US 2004/0011182 A1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,156,925, 1,756,676, 2,064,925, 2,110,023, 2,248,854, 2,489,101, 3,690,211, 3,896,694, 4,084,477, 4,884,487, 6,670,533 B1, 6,680,431 B2, 7,064,258 B2, 7,659,463 B2, 6,927,328 B2 or WO 2004/077398 A1.